Reclining chair



.Feb- 1951 c. A. HUGHES 2,540,947

RECLINING CHAIR Filed Sept. 22, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l CLAUDE A. HUGHES,

Feb. 6, 1951 c, HUGHES 2,540,947

RECLINING CHAIR Filed Sept. 22, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CLAUDE 'A. HUGHES Patented Feb. 6, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to reclining chairs and particularly concerns the adjustment mechanism for securing the reclining back of a chair in any desired position.

In the development of reclining chairs of this type, some chairs have used an adjustment whereby the reclining back could be selectively held in a number of different positions. Other types of reclining chairs permit the back to be secured in any position within limits. This in vention concerns improvements in the first type of chair. The mechanism for holding the back of a reclining chair usually includes the member formed with a series of teeth and a stop member for engaging the teeth. Movement of the back usually would cause relative movement between these two members, and upon engagement of the teeth by the stop member the back could be held at any one of several positions. However, the mechanisms for holding the back in positon did not securely hold. That is, they permitted a certain amount of play or movement of the back. With use, this condition becomes aggravated until a person sitting in a chair had an insecure feeling.

It is the major object of the present invention to provide a back adjustment which will hold the back securely and firmly.

It is another object of this invention to provide a reclining chair with an adjustment mechanism which will not become loosened and insecure with use of the chair.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustment mechanism for a reclining chair which will steadily hold the chair back in any selected position and will continue to do so for the life of the chair.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a bottom view of a reclining chair embodying the invention in its preferred form;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross section of the adjustment portion of the reclining mechanism taken on the line3-3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is another enlarged section of the adjustment mechanism taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

In its preferred form, the invention includes an elongated casing secured on a base plate to the under side of a seat frame of a reclining chair. This casing and a rack slidable therein have correspondingly rectangular cross sections providing a snug sliding fit. The rack has teeth on its under face engaged by a stop member pivoted to the under side of the seat frame and having a spring forcing it through a slit in the casing into engagement with the teeth. The rack is connected by a link to the reclining back frame of the chair, and a spring tends to force the rack in a direction to move the chair back to upright position.

Referring now to the drawings, a reclining chair is shown having the conventional seat frame including four corner posts II with front and rear rails 62 and i3 and side rails l4 and i5. Pivoted at it and ll to the rear posts is a back frame is having cross members l9, 19. A post 2i extends through to the cross members Iii, l9 and through a slit 22 formed in a central member 23 of the seat frame to a position below the seat frame as shown most clearly in Figure 2.

The mechanism for securing the reclining back iii in any desired position includes a base plate 25 secured as by screws 2s, 25 to the under side of the seat frame. An elongated casing 21 having a square or rectangular cross section is mounted on the base plate 25 so it extends longitud nally of the seat frame and is positioned centrally with respect to the side rails 14 and [5. A rack 28 also of square or rectangular cross section snugly fits within the elongated casing 21 to slide longitudinally thereon. The rack is provided with teeth 29, 29 which are spaced apart a smaller distance as shown at 3|, 3!. These teeth are arranged on the lower face of the rack 28..

An elongated casing Zl is formed with a transverse slit opening 32 having a width corresponding to the spacing 3% between the teeth 29 on the rack. A bracket 33 mounted on the base plate 25 forms a support for a stop member 34 pivoted to the bracket'33 as by a pin 35. The bracket 33 thus pivotally supports the stop. member 34 in alignment with the split opening 32. The pivot 35 is positioned near the casing 21.

One end 36 of the stop member 34 extends to v a point adjacent the side rail 54 and is connected to a lever 3? on a shaft 38 rotatable in the side rail M by a hand lever 39. A tension spring 4! is connected at 42 to the base plate 25, and is also connected to the other end 43 of the stop member 34. The tension spring, being connected between the base plate and the stop member tends to force the stop member into the slit 32 so it will engage the spacing between the teeth 29 on the rack 28. Movement of the stop member 34 about the pivot 35 is guided by a guide 49 of the rack which is nearest the back of thee The other end of the link 4? is pivotally chair. connected at 5| to the post 2|. Inasmuch as the post 2! extends below the pivotsi I 6', movement of the rack 28 toward the back of the chair tends to move the back frame l'8'toward its'upright position. A pair of tension springs 52', 52 are connected to a hook 53 on the rack 28 and have theirother endssconnectedto the rear rail [3.

setherack-isat all times under tension, tending;-.to-.move=it towardithe back of the. chair and totthereby, move the back of the chair toward itsaupright position.

7 Erom..the foregoing explanation, it will be ap-- parent thatltherecliningback frame l8 may. be positioned and securely. held in a number of selectedpositions. by engagement of the stop member 34" between different ones of the teeth 29, 29in. the, rack. 28. The rack itself is snugly held in the elongated casing at all times, so there is very-little lateral play. when the chair back is placedin-any, desired position Since the rack" is at all times under tension of the springs 52, 52

it is securely held in engagement with the stop. member. Since the width of the stop member correspondsl'to the spacing between the teeth in the rack; and the slit opening in the casing is also of corresponding width, there is very little longitudinal play of the rack when the stop member" is" engaging the teeth. The tension spring4'! whichholdsthe stop member in engagement with the teeth of the rack, is made quite powerful and thus furtheradds to the steadiness and security of the adjusting mechanism. A strong spring may be used in this case because the pivot rorthe stop member is much nearer the spring end than it is to the lever operated endof the'member. This gives an occupant of the chair a considerable mechanical advantage so le"ssefi"ort is required to move the stop meniber'against the tension of the spring. 4]. To place the reclining chair'back frame in any desired position, theoccup'ant of the chair" merelyi'moves the: lever-"39 in. an upward direction: to release the stop' member- 34 from engagement witlrthe'teethof the rack 28. Therack isthen ffGEtGTSlidBi'Withill the elongated'casing until therchair'back'is'placedin the desired position.

The? occupant of "the'chair'then releases the lever 39.: andopermits: the stopf'member totagain: move 4 in the slit opening of the easing into engagement with the teeth of the rack. Once the stop member engages the rack, the chair back is steadily and securely held in the desired position by the snug fit of the elongated'casing, and the cooperation of the stop member with the slit opening 32 in the casing and the opening 68 in the guide 45 to prevent longitudinal movement of the rack.

What-I claim is:

A reclining chair having a seat frame; a back frame'pivoted on said seat frame to swing about ashorizontal axis between upright and reclining positions, and a vertical post in said back frame extending below the pivots, in combination with reclining "back adjustment apparatus comprising a base plate secured to the underside of said seat frame, an elongated casing of rectangular cross-section mounted on said base plate and ex tending longitudinally of said seat frame, a rack of. rectangular cross-section slidable longitudinall'y in said casing,.sai'd rack having transversely extending. teeth formed on the bottom of said. rack at spaced intervals shorter than the lengtlr of said teeth, said casing being formed with a transverse slit opening extending across its bot tom andpartially up the side of said casing toward. said seat frame, said slit being of a width corresponding .to the spacing, between said teeth, a brackets on said base plate at one side of said casing. adjacentthe slit therein, a stop member consisting of alever pivoted to said bracket hav ingone end extending across said casing alined with said slit and the other end extending away from said casing toward one side of said seat frame, a tension spring connected between said one end and said'ba'se plate, a guide on side base plate having a vertically extending slot alined with said slit, said lever being of a thickness corresponding to the width of the spacing between said teeth on the rack and having its one end. extending through said slot, a shaft extending through said one side of said frame,

REFERENCES olrnn The following references are of record in the filevof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Walton Mayl, ,1900' Borgert Feb. 17, 1914 Brenner Sept. 21, 193'? Book May. 19, .1942.

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